


Unbeatable (When We're Together)

by kojafras



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Genderswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 03:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7558543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kojafras/pseuds/kojafras
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yifan is the queen’s favorite knight for a reason.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unbeatable (When We're Together)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2016 round of the girl!exo exchange.

The attack was a surprise, but as always, she was prepared. As the masked soldier aimed another swing at her legs, she dismounted and swung herself onto the heavily armored back. Her size was very inconvenient, especially at times like this, but she had learned to use it to her advantage. Keeping her arms locked tight around the brute's neck, she made sure that his weapon stayed far from harming her. He stilled momentarily beneath her, and she reached down to unsheathe her sword. It was a feint. She gasped in surprise as she was thrown from the man's back and landed hard, momentarily winded. He raised his arms, heavy sword in hand, and she pushed herself to her forearms, prepared to dodge.

Instead of attacking, the man uttered a low grunt and then crumpled to the ground, his sword falling from his grip and a mighty broadsword embedded in his back. His attacker stood behind him, a tall and powerful figure clad in plated armor, face hidden by a winged helmet. The knight pulled their sword free with a foot braced on the man's back, then turned their attention to the woman picking herself off the ground.

"Your Highness," the knight began, voice low and gravelly, no doubt by their surroundings. The ground was loose and even now a cloud of dirt hung over them. "I would appreciate it if you would stick to the sidelines. It is difficult enough making sure the others aren't struggling. Return to your horse."

The argument on the tip of her tongue died away when she caught a glimpse over the knight's spiked shoulder plate, and she pushed herself up with one hand, the other going to the dagger sheathed at her waist. Ducking under the knight's arm, she stabbed the advancing soldier through a break in his armor and twisted the blade before pulling back and away as he fell to the ground. "I am more than capable of taking care of myself," she argued, sheathing her dagger. "Perhaps you should be paying closer attention to your own affairs."

Her knight said nothing in response, merely raising their sword to deal with the next advancing soldier, and she was free to survey the battlefield and determine her next move before darting off.

彡 ☆彡

"Fuck," Jongdae hissed, flinching as Yixing pulled another arrowhead free, this time out of her thigh. She watched, eyes widening as the woman pocketed the metal before coming back to wrap the wound. "What, you're just going to keep it? That's been _inside_ of me."

The archer shrugged. "They're hard to make, and harder to come by. Chanyeol has better things to do than make me buckets of 'em, and the ones I make are absolute shit." She tied the cloth tight, maybe a bit tighter than necessary, and sat back. "That should hold it, but you might want to see Tao when we get back."

"Noted," Jongdae grunted, using a nearby tree to push herself up. She tested her leg, putting some weight on it, and found the hasty bandage satisfactory. It would be enough for the walk back.

The bushes rustled and the two sprang into action, Jongdae unsheathing her sword and reaching blindly for her shield before holding it protectively in front of her. Yixing reached for one of her last few arrows and drew her bow. They waited.

"Relax," Baekhyun said as she appeared in the clearing, grinning as the two complained and stowed their weapons. "The battle's over–the remaining troops retreated. We're about to head back." Her own weapon, a bloodied spear, was strapped haphazardly to her back. She motioned for them to follow and then headed out of the clearing. Yixing and Jongdae paused only to collect the small pile of arrowheads–from the both of them–so that Yixing could pocket them. That completed, they headed back towards the battlefield.

Jongin was there, wiping her daggers clean on her breeches. A little ways away were the remaining soldiers, some sitting on their shields and others standing, only a few lying prone on their backs. Jongdae would bet that there were quite a few on the battlefield, dead, but it didn't appear to be enough to notice a difference in the group, and when she counted they were only four short.

"Not too bad," Yixing remarked, whistling low. "Much better than last time, I think the practice is starting to pay off."

Jongdae shrugged, turning her attention to an armor-clad figure standing far away from the group. Jongdae might have mistaken it for a statue, had she not known better. "Either that, or they didn't have a chance to be seen as a target."

"Even if that is the case, I would still count it as a win." Jongin had caught on to their conversation, and was watching them carefully, one scarred eyebrow arched. Her cleaned daggers were now safely hidden somewhere on her belt. "Wouldn't you?"

Narrowing her eyes, Jongdae opened her mouth to argue but was stopped by both Yixing and Baekhyun; the archer laid a warning hand on her arm, and at that same moment Baekhyun came scampering over with a warning that the queen was coming. Jongdae followed the other three and dropped low into a bow.

"If we can fight side by side, I would think you four would be able to look me in the eye."

Jongdae allowed a glance up, and saw her queen smirking down at her from atop her steed. None of the others straightened, but Jongdae relaxed slightly. "Apologies, my queen, but we do this out of habit and reverence." The smirk stayed, and Jongdae smiled back. "Our fathers did the same for the King, and we did the same for your sister before you." She winced as Jongin jabbed her harshly in the side, and the queen's smile faded into a thin line.

"Of course," she allowed. "Well, habits fade and hopefully this shall as well. It is difficult to hear my knights when they speak to the ground."

"Indeed."

All four straightened at the new voice, Jongdae and Baekhyun with poorly disguised annoyance marring their expressions. Yixing and Jongin appeared straight-faced, but Jongdae knew the two of them were still slightly displeased with the way the heavily armored knight spoke to their queen.

The queen, on the other hand, brightened at the appearance of the armored newcomer. "Yifan," she greeted, obviously working hard to stop her growing smile, but failing as Yifan bowed her head slightly in deference. Yifan held out a hand that the queen accepted, and used to dismount before walking over to face her line of knights, while Yifan joined the line beside Jongin. "It looks as if Kyungsoo was correct," she began, "the troops were camping in the east, and we managed to surprise them. Only a few fled, and will probably not return until we are safe in our beds. You have all done well, and I'm sure that we will have a grand supper prepared for us." Her knights offered smiles, and she nodded in return. "Prepare the troops, and we will head back."

Jongdae nodded, along with the others, and headed towards the group of troops that had already started to pack up at the appearance of their queen. She noticed, however, that Yifan followed the queen back to her horse to help her mount. Unnecessarily, Jongdae thought, seeing as the queen had been riding since she was a child.

"The battle is over," Yixing began, laying a hand on her shoulder, "So why do you look like you still want a fight?"

Jongdae shrugged off the arm. "The sooner we get back, the better." She gritted her teeth, watching as the troops pulled the wagons together, taking care to lay the wounded in one of the better-constructed wagons with the stronger horses. Jongdae affixed her shield to her back and frowned in the direction of Yifan, who had already found her black stallion, and was moving to the front of the group. "She appeared out of nowhere, and the queen trusts her the most. I don't understand."

"And maybe you never will." Yixing smiled, and nodded in the direction of their horses. "But if you continue to be this upset, I fear we might leave you behind."

Jongdae sputtered at that, and matched Yixing's stride, putting the matter of the strange knight to the side for the moment.

彡 ☆彡

"They're planning an attack," Kyungsoo said gravely, fingertips on the edge of the great map, expanded to include their newest enemies. "I apologize that I was not able to tell you sooner, but women are not allowed in the infantry. My spies do the best with what they're given, some have even disguised themselves as men, but it is risky and they can't progress very far in the army. If we had–"

"Men," the queen finished for the tactician, very pointedly staring at the marked point on the map and not at either of the other two women in the room. "If we had men it would be different. I know. But the fact remains that we have no able-bodied men. If we did, they would be in _our_ army." She took a deep breath, stepping back. This time, she met Kyungsoo's gaze with a hard look of her own, holding back a wince when the woman faced her fully, the scarred skin healed but still present, starting at her eye and snaking down beneath the neck of her dress. "Your women are more than adequate. Now, how soon is the attack?"

Kyungsoo frowned despite herself, folding her hands behind her back. "Three days."

"Three days?" The queen balked, which was understandable. She was still wearing her bloodstained armor. She had merely handed her mare to a stable hand before rushing up here to meet with Kyungsoo, with Yifan right behind her. "That's fine. The troops can have two nights of good sleep and food, and then we'll head back out." She laid a hand on the sword at her side, as if for reassurance. "How many are we anticipating?"

Kyungsoo refused to meet her eyes. "This is meant to be the last battle, Your Highness." She laid a hand on the red marker, a halfway point she had encouraged the queen to plan on as a battlefield. "The King of Parvis himself is to come, along with the crown prince. This will not be easy," she warned.

"It seems nothing is, anymore," the queen mused, almost under her breath. "Start making the arrangements. I will be in my rooms." She acknowledged Kyungsoo's bow with a mere nod, and then left the room with her blue cape swirling behind her, now that she was no longer in combat. Yifan followed, helmet secure under her arm. Once they were both out of sight, and the door closed behind them, Kyungsoo covered her face, fingers gingerly placed over the scarred skin, and gave a deep sigh.

The war room had been moved to the main level to make things easier on everyone, so the royal chambers were three floors above. The queen, unbeknownst to most of her subjects, had declined moving into either the previous queen's (her sister) or the king's (her father) rooms, and had kept her own, smaller ones. It was practical, she reasoned to anyone who argued with her, she was out most of the time anyway, she had no need for luxury.

She entered the room and immediately removed her cape, throwing it over one piece of the overabundant furniture in the room. As she sat and began the painstakingly difficult task of removing her armor, Yifan closed the door behind them. She stood like a sentry in front of them, watching silently as the queen continued to disrobe. When she got to the straps behind her calf she tugged for a couple moments, then uttered a noise that sounded like a growl, and tried to wrench the armor from her leg by force. Yifan sighed and strode forward, kneeling in front of her queen, who allowed her to unstrap the rest of her armor without complaint. Yifan set them all to the side once she was done, and stayed down on one knee, looking up at her queen, who sat with her head over the back of the sofa, hands left face-up by her side, unmoved since Yifan had taken off her gauntlets.

"Your Highness," she began, voice low. She halted when the queen raised a hand, letting it drop back to her side after a moment.

"We're in my rooms, Yifan," she muttered, the exhaustion that she had kept carefully hidden now bleeding into her voice. "Formality isn't needed or necessary." When Yifan opened her mouth again, the queen raised her head to glare down at her. "If you call me 'Your Highness' one more time, I will be forced to order you to leave."

Yifan rolled her eyes at the antics. "Lu Han," she began, waiting for the queen to relax before continuing, "I believe everyone else is eating right now. May I ask what you are doing?"

"I'm skipping dinner," she said simply. "And do not lecture me. You are neither my mother nor my sister, and I have earned the right to skip a meal." Slowly, she pushed herself up and off the sofa and stood in front of Yifan, motioning for her knight to stand as well. "Besides, I will be sleeping instead. That is hardly a bad substitution." She motioned to the large windows that lined one wall in this room, and as Yifan knew, the walls of Lu Han’s bedroom–her own as well. Through the trees one could see the sun setting, and the sky darkening. "It is a fine time to go to bed. I suggest you follow."

Once the queen was in her room, and the door was closed behind her, Yifan felt it was safe to utter a groan. She had been injured earlier in the day, through a gap between her helmet and the well-shaped armor guarding her neck. Although it was a little more than a nick, it hurt like hell, and she was sure that her tunic beneath was stained. She marched into her own room, which she had been informed used to belong to a handmaiden when Lu Han was the princess, and as such had a door linking the two rooms together, and began tearing off her own armor. Her suspicions were confirmed in the vanity, and she scowled.

The only clothes in the room were left by that same handmaiden, and were much too small for her, but she ransacked the drawers anyway. She was rewarded with a loose, albeit frilly, nightgown, and threw it on the bed while she removed her grimy tunic and smallclothes. She would wash them tomorrow. Then she wriggled into the nightgown and, as her queen suggested, crawled into the bed and under the covers.

It was quite a large bed, and had served her well for the months she had spent here. Admittedly, she had been confused when she was presented the room, but so had many others. There was no arguing with the queen, though, so she had graciously accepted her new quarters, and bore the looks of disdain from soldiers and knight alike–who all lived together in the barracks. She had found out, a short time later, that the queen had been living on this floor alone for quite a while–too long, she believed–and better understood her room assignment.

_Three days_ , she thought, remembering the bone-deep look of exhaustion that had crossed her queen's face at the talk of another battle so soon. Yifan gathered the blankets around her and closed her eyes. It would do no good to fret. She had best take the sleep recommendation and see what tomorrow had to offer.

彡 ☆彡

Yifan woke to a faint noise, and waited a moment before moving. There it was again. She launched herself out of the bed and towards the adjoining door, bursting into the queen's bedroom. The bed was made, sheets pulled tight, and there were no signs of a struggle. Slowly, this time, she opened the doors into the sitting room and stared at the queen, who was in the middle of pulling some kind of hooded cape around her. She turned and stared at Yifan, surprised. Yifan met her look with an unimpressed one.

"Your Highness," she began in a droll tone, ignoring the look of annoyance directed at her, "Why are you awake and what on earth are you doing?" When there was no immediate answer, she gestured angrily to the windows, where the sky was only slightly tinged by the sun, which would surely not rise for a while yet.

"I have errands to run," the queen snapped back, but then seemed to consider something, as a faint smile reached her lips. "Would you like to come?"

Truly, no. Yifan longed to go back to sleep, her body still ached from the previous day and she was not yet awake. But she knew that if she did not go, this silly royal would do whatever she needed to do alone. "Yes," she answered at last.

"Good." The queen gave her a quick once-over. "But you can't go out looking like that, and my clothes are much too small for you, but maybe..." she trailed off, then nodded to herself. "Follow me," she ordered, turning for the double doors that led out of her rooms.

Yifan followed, her weariness gradually replaced with intrigue as she saw where they were heading. She had not seen any of the other rooms on the floor, and the queen was heading for the ones next to her own, her sister's as Yifan recalled. The queen quickly yanked open the doors and ushered her inside.

The rooms were very different than the queen's. To start with, the living room was much larger, with more luxurious furniture, though the size helped the room feel much more empty, almost abandoned. The doors to adjoining rooms were all thrown open, though the queen paid those little attention and headed straight for the largest, leading into a massive bedroom. In the middle, taking up the most space, stood a four-poster bed, though it lacked any sheets or pillows. In the corner of the room, Yifan caught sight of a cradle. She turned away, looking at the queen who was rifling through a large wardrobe.

"Aha!" She cried, pulling a rather shabby-looking dress free. "I knew she had kept it hidden somewhere. Now, come over here."

Yifan came willingly, feeling very odd as the queen reached forward as if to remove the nightgown, then stopped suddenly.

"You're not wearing anything beneath this," she said, though it sounded like she expected an answer.

"No," Yifan said, almost smirking as the queen pressed the dress into her hands and quickly fled the room, ordering her to return once she had changed. Yifan made quick work of stripping herself of the gaudy nightgown and pulling on the rather simple dress, soft brown in color and of better material than it looked. It was still a little tight around her arms and waist, but she supposed it fit better than anything else might in this castle. Nightgown in hand, she headed back to the rooms. "Your Highness," she began with a smile upon seeing the queen attempting to tie a pair of plain brown boots. She dropped to her knees and began to tie them herself. "I didn't think you would detest the sight of another woman that much."

The queen scoffed. "You know it's not that," she said, placing her hands in her lap as Yifan moved onto the next shoe. "It's just that you... well, anyway, if we are to do this you are not allowed to call me anything other than my name."

Yifan finished tying the boot and wondered what she had been about to say. She pushed that off to the side for now and stood, laying the nightgown down on the sofa as the qu–Lu Han, she corrected, handed her a hooded cape identical to the one she was wearing. 

“Put this on. And one more thing.” She motioned for Yifan to be seated on the sofa, and walked to stand behind it. She pushed her own cowl back and motioned to the coiled braid lying on the back of her neck. Yifan frowned, usually the queen secured her too-long hair in a single braid for battle or otherwise. “The villagers keep their hair braided. I know you usually leave yours down, but this will make us less noticeable.” And then she began pulling Yifan’s hair into a tight braid, muttering each time the knight hissed as her hair was sharply tugged. “There. You have very nice hair, Yifan. You should do more with it.”

Yifan said nothing and stood, hiding her face as she grabbed the hooded cape. Once Yifan had tied it securely around her neck Lu Han made to leave but Yifan stopped her with a sharp gesture and headed into her room, returning with her sword strapped to her waist, but hidden by the cape. Lu Han gave her a put-upon look that Yifan steadfastly ignored and motioned for her to lead the way.

Most of the castle was still asleep, and the guards gave them no trouble as they left the grounds and entered the village surrounding the castle. Yifan tried to shoot Lu Han a questioning look, but the woman wouldn't look at her. Yifan had only traveled through the village when she was accompanying the queen's army to a battle. Wearing clothes that she now noticed disguised her and Lu Han as peasants, with only her sword by her side, was a new experience, one she wasn't sure she'd want to repeat.

The sun had just reached the horizon when Lu Han stopped in front of a large building that seemed in urgent need of repair. To Yifan's surprise, she reached for the doors and opened them without knocking, beckoning her inside.

The halls were dark but Lu Han seemed to know her way. Yifan stayed close to her side, one hand resting on the hilt of her sword. There was a chattering that grew louder as they neared a doorway, the sound of many voices echoing in a large room, and when they stepped through the threshold Yifan understood why.

Children, dozens of them, were seated at various tables placed throughout the room, each with a bowl in front of them. Lu Han walked through them, patting some on the head, before going to stand at the front of the room with a petite woman who seemed unsurprised at the additional presence.

The only recognition of Lu Han's position was made through a slightly longer nod. "I had heard you returned last night. I wasn't expecting you so soon," the woman said, voice soft.

"Yes, well, we are set to leave again soon. I wanted to stop here, just in case," she whispered back, and Yifan's eyebrows rose. Lu Han didn't make any sign that she'd seen the reaction, but patted Yifan on the shoulder. "Stay here," was all she said before heading back and taking a seat among a group of slightly older children who all greeted her with large smiles and loud exclamations.

"Good, she's gone. It's hard to deal with her in the mornings." The woman shared a conspiratorial smile with Yifan. "You must be Yifan, then. Lu Han has talked about you during her visits, which have become rarer and rarer." Her mouth was set in an unhappy frown, gaze resting on the queen.

Yifan decided against asking more of the woman and also directed her gaze to Lu Han, who was talking animatedly with the children seated around her, even accepting what appeared to be offers of shared food. Usually, the queen was dressed either in her elaborately engraved armor, or one of her many bright, puffy dresses. In these shabby clothes, the woman looked much softer, face small and almost vulnerable, although her bright eyes still retained their intelligence and attention that she now bestowed on these children.

After the woman standing beside Yifan had formally ended the meal, they had talked sparingly and she had introduced herself as Minseok, the children were allowed to head out to the fields located near the building for play. Before Yifan could get to Lu Han and convince her that it was time to head back, the foolish woman was running alongside the children, her few skirts gathered in her hands to avoid stepping on them. Yifan grimaced, but followed the group.

Minseok joined her shortly, after attending to a needy child. Her gaze settled on Lu Han, a short distance away, skipping around with a group of girls. "She comes to the orphanage often," she started, unprovoked. "The children enjoy playing with her, and she likes being with them. It reminds me of when we were children," she said, a note of nostalgia coloring her voice. "I was one of her handmaidens, before..."

Yifan nodded in understanding. "Before." No one speaks of _before_ , and she herself had only a vague picture of it, but it was enough. She did not need more information to fulfill her role. She returned her attention to the children, and now that they were spread out she could see that, unlike the castle's inhabitants and those of this village and the others (although that was only speculation), most of the children were little boys. The only men she had the chance of seeing since she had joined Lu Han had been victims of war, and even they were rare to find, either hidden in the kitchens or the infirmary of the castle. This kind of atmosphere was something Yifan was more used to, and even felt a little like home.

When a maid appeared and whispered something to Minseok, the woman gave the call for lunch and after much needling, the children began to head back inside.

Lu Han was one of the last, a small girl perched on her hip and a boy with his arms locked around her waist trotting along behind her. As they neared, Yifan was able to hear the conversation.

"The queen's army is so strong!" the boy very nearly yelled, apparently part of an ongoing talk. "They can defeat anyone!"

"Indeed," Lu Han agreed, a patient smile on her lips. The girl in her arms was playing with the stray wisps of her hair peeking out from under her hood.

The boy let go, almost unwillingly, and stared up at the queen. "I will fight for the queen, when I grow up."

Lu Han nodded, patting his head. "I will be sure to tell her when I return to the castle." He beamed at the statement, but just as quickly frowned when Lu Han continued, "But until then you will have to behave yourself and take care of the others here."

Minseok snorted and stepped forward. "All right, that's enough, I'm sure lunch has started without you." She shooed the boy inside. Lu Han stepped forward, and they transferred the girl over, Lu Han pausing to extract the tiny fingers from her hair.

The girl reached for her, whimpering, and Lu Han neatly pushed her small wisps of blonde hair away from her face, speaking softly before pulling back. "We'd better be heading back now."  
Minseok nodded. "I believe you've bothered the children enough for today," she joked, bouncing the child slightly. "Come back soon."

Lu Han nodded, pulling the cowl tighter around her face before walking away. Yifan made to follow but was stopped by a hand on her arm, and when she turned it was to a severe expression on Minseok's face.

"Keep her safe."

Yifan met her eyes. "I will do everything in my power to keep the queen alive." Minseok inclined her head in response, satisfied, and Yifan quickened her steps until she reached Lu Han's side. The queen offered her a small smile, seemingly retaining her good mood from the orphanage, and Yifan quirked her lips in response. "Those children had no clue who you were." It was not a question.

"No, and they will not learn the truth for a while yet." She clasped her hands behind her back. "Besides, the visits are made purely for business. I just wish to know that my kingdom is in good hands."

"Purely business," Yifan repeated, dubiously. She remembered how the queen had cradled the tiny girl, and a few children before her, and the way she had spoken to the hopeful boy. "Your sister," she began, "when she died, she was with child, correct?"

The smile disappeared. "She was killed," Lu Han replied coldly. "And yes, she was."

They remained in silence for the rest of the walk. Lu Han waved away the guards when they passed through the gates, and stalked up all three flights to her rooms, locking herself in her own once they finally entered. Yifan sighed and rid herself of the cape and sat down heavily on the sofa. She pressed her fingertips into her forehead and found herself wishing that she knew more about the queen, not to better protect her, but simply to understand her. Yifan groaned, pushing the thought away as she headed into her room to clean her armor, a chore she'd already put off for too long.

Cleaning her armor was a good thing to do; it was both time-consuming and a mindless chore. She didn't have any more time to think about the queen, too busy making sure each plate was practically shining. By the time she had moved onto her sword, the sun was already setting. She noticed that the blade needed sharpening, and decided that could be done the following day. She moved onto the helmet, which she had saved until last due to the delicate wings and deep engravings, and almost dropped it when the double doors leading to the queen's rooms opened with a bang.

Yifan set the helmet down on the cushioned chair in her room and opened her door to see what had caused the commotion. She almost shut it just as fast when she saw it was the head cook, flanked by four of her servants, which meant that only three were manning the kitchens. Yifan glanced to the side and saw the queen's face peeking out sheepishly from her own room.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice you missing two night meals?" The woman shouted, arms crossed in front of her chest.

The queen stepped forward, hands raised in the air, almost in surrender. "How do you know that I didn't sneak down to the kitchens while you weren't there?"

"I _am_ the kitchens," the woman hissed through her teeth, motioning for one of the servants to step forward. A large table was moved from a corner of the room to the center, and the servants set down the dishes that they had been carrying. "Anyway, I have brought the food to you. Now eat. You too, Yifan. I don't want the guilt of knowing the two of you went off to battle without a single meal. I remember battle, and I remember the awful food." She raised a hand as if to tell the queen off some more, but turned red and hid her face, as well as her mangled hand.

The queen stepped forward quickly, gathering both of the head cook's hands in her own, although she had to fight the woman to do so. Hands that had more fingers missing than present rested in the queen's slightly roughened hands, and the queen closed her own around the two limbs. "Thank you, Joonmyun," she said genuinely, voice thick with emotion. "For the food and for your help." The two shared a long look, and then the queen finally allowed her to pull away.

"You're lucky I'm not out there," the woman said, a slight grin on her lips. "I would show you all up."

"Indeed," the queen allowed, an answering smile on her lips. "We will call down when the food is gone."

"Good. It had better be soon, or I'm coming back," she threatened before leaving, her servants close behind her.

The queen collapsed onto her sofa once they had left, patting the cushion next to her. "Get over here and eat." She completed the task of divesting the dishes of their coverings and pushed some meat dish Yifan's way as the woman sat behind her. They ate quietly, the queen pushing various foods towards Yifan, and taking others away at intervals, until both had eaten their fill.

"My sister was a good queen, it is a pity you weren't able to meet her," the queen said suddenly, nearly startling Yifan with her frankness. "She made a good queen. She was better suited for the role." She tapped her fingers on the tabletop before leaning over and covering the nearly emptied plates. "We'll call the kitchen staff tomorrow, no sense in making a fuss tonight. Goodnight, Yifan."

Yifan watched the queen head back to her room, head slightly bowed. Yifan stood, wanting to do nothing more than pull open the doors and let Lu Han know that she highly doubted the previous queen was a better ruler, but instead she curled her hands into fists and headed to her own room.

彡 ☆彡

This time, when Lu Han exited her room at an ungodly hour, Yifan was already in the sitting room, checking the latches of her armor for any defects. She looked up at the entrance, raising a brow.

"I used to sneak around all the time," the queen stated, sleep slowing her words slightly, weighing down her tongue. "Why is it only now that you've caught on?"

Yifan shrugged, standing. Maybe she wanted to sneak around as well, her mind supplied. Instead, she asked, "Where are we going?"

The queen said nothing, just stood and began stretching in a very undignified manner that didn't surprise Yifan in the slightest. Then her eyes landed on Yifan's sheathed sword, lying on the sofa, and her eyes achieved a mischievous glint, sparkling dangerously when she met Yifan's gaze again. "Follow me."

They ended up in the barracks, on one of the lower floors used for training. The queen bore her sword and dagger on her waist, and Yifan wore her own, once again without her customary armor. The queen drew her sword, and Yifan followed, the two of them taking up defensive stances, and then the queen called the match to a start.

Yifan bore the first two blows, bending her arms to absorb the attacks, then swung high when the queen offered an opening. They went on like this for some time, the queen landing a few blows that caused rips and tears in Yifan's stained tunic, but the queen remained unscathed. Her attacks grew more desperate and rapid, and Yifan shifted her feet to accommodate them. Finally, the queen brought her sword down hard, surprising Yifan, and the knight was forced back against the wall.

"Do not play with me," the queen hissed through her teeth before drawing back, striking a defensive pose, dark brown eyes offering a challenge.

Yifan straightened, rolling her shoulders back and straightening to her true height. This time, she rushed forward, aiming high but striking low, giving her opponent little more than a split second to block the attack. When it was blocked she smirked and drew back, but only for a second. She stepped back and swung her sword left and right, forcing her opponent back. Once their back was to the wall, Yifan swung at the exposed head, snarling when her opponent dropped to the ground and rolled to the side. Yifan was upon them before they could rise, using her superior size and weight to pin them to the ground. A sword came up, aimed at the exposed back of her head, and Yifan was forced to drop her own weapon to twist her attacker's wrist, ridding them or their weapon. She saw and felt the other hand reach for the dagger concealed on a waist belt, and reached down with her other hand to wrestle the smaller weapon away, pleased by the sound of it clattering against the stone ground. She pressed both hands above her opponent's head and stilled. She had won.

"Well done," the queen commended, chest heaving and wisps of brown hair stuck to her sweaty face. "You may rise."

Yifan grinned triumphantly, taking a moment to relish the win, the body lying beneath her, before standing. She offered a hand to her queen, pulling her up as well. "It has been a while since you last sparred with me."

"Yes, and there is good reason for that," the queen snapped, bending to pick up her weapons. "I only ask it of you when I'm not afraid to die."

"We're afraid, and we were standing over here."

Both women froze and turned to face the doorway to the room, where the queen's remaining knights stood, staring at them with bleary eyes.

"We haven't had the joy of sparring with Yifan yet," Jongdae spoke, voice dripping with disdain, eyes narrowed.

Baekhyun nodded, expression one of open interest. "Have you ever used a spear before?"

Jongin stood to the side, daggers unsheathed and twirling around her fingers. "What about daggers?"

Yixing said nothing, but didn't hide the smile on her face either.

"Oh, I would like to stay and watch this," the queen allowed, a smile painting her tired features. "Jongin, you can go first, then Baekhyun."

Jongin nodded, starting forward. Behind her, another figure entered the doorway, slumping in relief when she spied the queen in the room. "Your Highness! Kyungsoo wishes to see you in the war room."

The queen frowned. "I guess I will not be able to watch then." She straightened her clothes, managing to appear unruffled. "No matter. Enjoy yourselves in my absence."

Yifan wasn't able to watch her leave the room, for at that same moment Jongin charged at her.

She fought the other knights for the better part of the morning, allowed a respite only after narrowly besting Yixing with a set of practice arrows and a poorly constructed bow. She sat in the doorway as Baekhyun and Jongdae began to spar, the latter making up for what she lacked in maturity with her skill at defense. Yifan watched closely, noting the woman's stances and thinking how she could replicate them.

"It's too bad the queen wasn't able to stay," Yixing said suddenly, pulling Yifan's attention away from the fight. "She was in here practically every day when she was a princess."

On Yifan's left, Jongin nodded. "She gave me tips when I was first starting out as a soldier." The scar on her face suddenly stood out much more in the faint light pouring through the rectangular windows. "She would have made a fine general."

Yixing nods, fingers steepled beneath her chin. "And her sister was an excellent diplomat. Tragic."

Yifan blinked. "Has it escaped your attention that the queen is also highly skilled in diplomacy?" Two pairs of eyes were suddenly on her. She looked up at the ceiling. "I believe she is doing very well." She's freed from any argument by a sudden shout.

Baekhyun gripped her right forearm tightly, spear lying on the ground. "Pull your attacks, Jongdae!" She snapped, hissing when red stained her green tunic.

"I'm so sorry," the woman said sincerely, dropping her sword and shield. "How bad is it?"

Yifan was off her ass and halfway across the room in moments. She took the knight's arm in her hands and pulled back the sleeve, scrutinizing the wound. It wasn't too deep, but she was bleeding profusely. "Infirmary," was all she said, pulling the faintly protesting woman from the room.

Yifan had dragged many a soldier to the infirmary, so when Baekhyun was wobbly on her feet she pulled the woman into her arms and quickened her pace until they reached the medic's rooms. Luckily she was there, as was the queen.

Yifan laid the knight down, who immediately protested the treatment. The medic was already fluttering around her, checking the wound and wrapping it.

"It's not too bad," she said as she secured the bandage. "Nothing that will stop you from heading out tomorrow, but do take care when fighting." The knight visibly relaxed and allowed the woman to move her arm around some more.

"So?" The queen prompted once Baekhyun was taken care of. "What is your answer?"

The head medic sighed. "I don't think it's a good idea, but my answer is yes, of course. I will head out with you tomorrow."

The queen smiled and patted the woman's shoulder. "Thank you, Tao. Pack well." The woman nodded in response, and the queen withdrew, motioning for Yifan to come with her. "I'm on my way to the armory next. Accompany me."

Yifan remembered her sword and nodded, following silently as they passed the other rooms and exited the castle, heading for the small buildings nearby.

The shouting reached their ears before they caught sight of the armorer, ordering around a bunch of soldiers. When she caught sight of the queen and knight she practically beamed, limping out of the building to welcome them. Yifan spied the new designs on her false leg, made by the armorer herself and fashioned from the strongest metal available, this time the woman had added a series of swirls that ended in sharp angles near her thigh.

"Chanyeol," the queen greeted, before the woman could beat her to it with an overenthusiastic hail of her own. "How is everything going?"

"Well, there's only so much we can do in one day, but we're doing all we can," she said, smile still present. "All the armor brought in has been repaired, and Sehun's working on the weapons so–"

"Excuse me," the queen interrupted, tone sharp, "you've got the previous queen's favorite handmaiden working on _weapons_?"

"Yes, she's very good at it," Chanyeol replied nonchalantly. "We should have all the orders filled by the time you set out tomorrow."

The queen looked as though she wanted to argue, but reigned it in and nodded. "Good. Thank you. Yifan, shall we head back?"

"I need my blade sharpened," Yifan said lightly, eyebrows rising slightly as the queen frowned.

"Very well," the queen allowed, turning on her heel. "Come to my rooms when you have finished." And then she walked away.

When Yifan started forward, Chanyeol blocked her way with a grin that almost split her face. "Do you need any work done to your armor?"

"No," Yifan answered, too quickly. The woman had been trying to get her hands on Yifan's armor since she had arrived, and she was honestly a little scared to see what the woman would do with it if she got her hands on it. Trying very hard not to feel guilty, Yifan walked around the woman and headed into the armory. She passed Sehun's soot-stained face and was offered a small smile before the woman assisted her.

When Yifan returned to the rooms, it was after sharpening her sword and bearing the questions Chanyeol posed regarding her armor. And, after escaping, she'd run into Baekhyun and had to endure the knight's stilted words of thanks. So when she made it back, the sun was low in the sky and there were new dishes in the living room but the queen was nowhere to be seen. Yifan stowed her weapon in her room and knocked on the adjoining door before entering the queen's room.

The queen was sitting on her bed, and raised her eyebrows at Yifan's appearance. "I thought that you would never return.”

Yifan wordlessly slumped into one of the queen's many chairs placed before the bed and gave a mighty sigh. "I shall be glad when we are on the battlefield, and I do not need to converse with anyone." The queen let out a tinkling laugh, and Yifan stared at her, surprised by the sound.

"Sorry," the queen said between giggles. "But I agree." She leaned back on her bed and resumed what she had been doing, no doubt looking over Kyungsoo's reports and plans.

Yifan left her to the task, taking a moment to stare at the room. She had never truly looked around the queen's room, coming in only to check on whether the queen was present or not. The walls were covered in maps, and portraits that had perhaps previously been hung were sitting on the floor, merely leaning against the wall. Yifan spied the likeness of the queen in one, seated on a cushioned bench beside another girl, with a man and woman behind her. Yifan looked away. By the door, two swords leaned against the wall. One was the queen's and the other was unfamiliar. Yifan frowned, and her attention moved to the full set of armor, much too big for the small queen, standing against the wall, in perhaps the darkest corner of the room.

"You have questions."

Yifan started at the statement, and turned to face the queen. She should decline. They were heading out tomorrow, and the queen would need as much time to go over the battle plans as possible. On the other hand... "The armor?"

"My husband's," the queen answered simply, smiling at Yifan's speechlessness. "Surprised? You didn't know I had been married, did you?"

Yifan righted herself, cursing the surprise and working had not to seem too taken aback. "I did not know," she said in lieu of any reaction that might offend the queen.

"Yes, well, I was." She stared at the armor, and Yifan was sure that she saw something much different. "He was the general of the army, and we were well matched. He died in battle like my father, before my sister was killed. He was a good man." She motioned towards the strange sword. "That was his, and my father's before him. A wedding gift. Neither used it in battle, and neither shall I."

"Your sister was killed," Yifan repeated, tearing her eyes away from the armor, "Was it by our current enemy?"

"I fear it's not that simple." She stood, padding over to the walls on bare feet. She pointed to one of the many maps. "We are here, near to the mountains. This valley beneath us was inhabited by a clan we traded with, the Neok. They grew powerful and cut off the trade, then attacked us with their armies. My father led the forces against them, and was struck by their leader. My mother followed him, torn by grief. While my sister rose to the throne, the clan was beaten by the kingdom to the west of us." She pointed at another area of the map. "Both my sister and I were married before the king met his end, and my husband let the first attack against our current enemy, Pavris." Her gaze moved back to the armor. "He defended our land, beat back the enemy forces enough to cripple them, but sacrificed his life."

"He lives on through you," Yifan offered, a saying that was common among her people, and was offered a thankful smile in return.

"I'd like to think so," the queen said with an air of wistfulness, then scowled. "After that, their general offered a peace treaty. Because my sister was with child, her husband accompanied her. They were ambushed at the meeting place, and only one of their guardsmen made it back. He died that night, after delivering the news." She met Yifan's eyes. "Our army held only men for as long as I'd known, but after the battles we would surely fall if we continued that tradition. So, I changed it. I promoted women who I knew to be skilled into positions as knights and welcomed all the women who had lost their husbands to war to get their revenge on the battlefield. We've fought five battles together, and have sustained less losses than ever before."

Yifan smiled, feeling pride bloom in her chest, smiling at the woman who was staring steadily at her maps. "What of the man that killed your sister?"

"I slayed him, " the queen replied, voice low. "The battle before last. He was the commander, and I met him on the battlefield. He was felled by my blade."

Yifan nodded. She remembered how she had turned, scanning the battlefield for her queen only to see the woman hacking away at a prone body. By the time she had made her way over, the queen was sobbing openly over the unrecognizable corpse, and Yifan had pretended not to notice as she helped the queen to her feet. Yifan relaxed in the chair, feeling her eyes droop. "I regret not being able to meet your sister. Tell me about her."

The queen turned, eyebrows raised, but walked over to sit in the chair beside Yifan. "Well, we were very close in age, but she was much better at negotiating whereas I excelled in combat. My father recognized this and had us trained, but she never got any better at wielding a sword." She laughed. "It was pitiful, really. All she ever wanted was to bring peace our people and raise heirs. We had always planned that I would support her from behind, killing anyone who got in her way–though she disagreed, of course."

Yifan closed her eyes, though the queen continued to speak, her soft voice caressing Yifan as she continued to speak of her sister. Though a battle was looming, Yifan allowed herself this moment of peace and comfort.

彡 ☆彡

Yifan was shaken awake, and she stared blearily up at her queen. "Your Highness?" She questioned, sleep making the words slow and lazy.

Instead of correcting her, her queen gave a small smile. "Don your armor, my knight," she ordered in a whisper. "We are off to war."

It took Yifan little time to ready herself, and when she and the queen descended, the troops were putting the last provisions onto the wagons. Tao acknowledged the queen with a tired nod as they walked past, towards the stables. The queen went to her white mare while Yifan attended to her black stallion. They rode out together to lead the ready troops, and they marched out of the castle grounds and towards the village. Joonmyun, Kyungsoo, Chanyeol and Sehun all stood by the few guardsmen left behind, and the queen reached down to take each of their hands in her own gauntlet-clad ones. Once they had truly left the castle grounds, the villagers lined the street, shouting their well wishes, and when Yifan caught sight of Minseok with a child in her arms she gave the woman a nod, pretending not to see the tears that she hid.

They rode all day, stopping at night to camp. The queen and Yifan joined the other knights for the meal and light chat before heading to their tents. Before heading inside, the queen reached for Yifan's hands and held them in her own for a moment. Then she let go, and headed into her tent. Yifan clasped her hands over her heart and slept well.

The next day, the air was thick with tension. They stopped in the thick woods that they knew bordered the clearing and began to unpack and set up. The soldiers checked their chain armor for any weaknesses and the knights sharpened their weapons, an air of restlessness over them. Yifan stood still by a tree, eyes closed and both hands resting on the hilt of her sword.

When the call came, it was that the enemy forces were already gathering on the other side of the clearing. The soldiers rushed to their lines and Yifan mounted her horse, moving to stand by the side of the queen, the knights standing behind them. The air was thick but silent, and their sentry gave the sign that the enemy was also lining up on the other side of the clearing.

The queen took a breath that only she and Yifan could hear and led her horse to face her troops. "We fight for our fallen!" She shouted. "We fight to avenge their deaths! We fight for the previous king and queen, who fought for peace so that we would not have to." She raised her sword. "But it ends here. Today, we fight our last battle!"

The women cheered, and the queen turned back to the clearing. She was silent, and the faint sound of the other army charging forward reached their ears. Still, the queen said nothing. The enemy troops were visibly through the trees.

"Now," Yifan hissed.

The queen raised her sword into the air and charged forward. The troops let out ferocious yells and followed. Yifan pushed her steed to the front, unsheathing her sword as she closed in on the enemy troops and swung as soon as they were within reach–two fell, one trampled by her horse and the other from her weapon.

It quickly devolved into utter chaos. Yifan kept her attention on the enemy soldiers surrounding her, but kept a watchful eye on the queen. When an archer, hidden from sight in the line of trees, managed to hit her horse, the steed whinnied loudly and the queen lurched to the side. Yifan was there in an instant, dismounting and slashing at an oncoming soldier before pulling the queen away from the falling steed and pushing her towards her own stallion. The queen gave her one look and mounted, getting out of the way of an oncoming soldier that Yifan quickly took down. When she turned back to the line of trees, an archer lay on the ground, motionless with an arrow protruding from his chest. Yifan smiles and brought her sword down heavily on the next advancing soldier.

When the crown prince entered the battlefield, the change was noticeable. The soldiers converged on one spot, surrounding a brown horse and its heavily armored rider. Yifan turned her attention to the group, hacking away at soldier after soldier until a path could be made for the rider. Yifan turned to motion her queen, but a black streak passed her just as she turned her head.

As the queen passed, the soldiers closed in around her. Yifan watched, helpless, as the queen neared the prince and began to attack. Yifan brought down her own enemies with her broadsword, but they managed to keep her from getting any closer. She hacked at them, desperation growing, and nearly stumbled when the queen fell from the horse and landed hard on her back; however, she had grabbed a hold of the prince as she fell and brought him down with him.

Yifan was very nearly struck, but ducked at the last moment and brought the attacker down. She caught glimpses as she blocked attacks and gave the attackers no chance to regret their decision–the queen on the ground, under the prince; then above him, pressing him into the ground, twisting his weapon out of his grip, and then she was straddling him, her sword against his exposed neck.

A hush fell over the troops. Everyone froze, though the queen's troops caught their attackers in equally inescapable holds.

"Stop!" A heavily armored man rode forward, stopping right before the clearing. There was no mistaking him for the king. "Do not kill him!"

The queen stood, feet on the prince's bare hands lest he reach for his weapon. "What are your terms?"

"We will set up a treaty," the man offered, almost begging. "Now free him."

"Set it up here. And have your terms ready. I will have mine." The queen finally stepped away, mounting her horse in one swift move. Yifan watched her back as they headed back, but none dared to attack, too preoccupied with the wellbeing of their prince.

When they reached the woods, the celebrations began.

"Hold up!" The queen ordered as she dismounted, though she was smiling. "We have not won yet!"

"What's the difference?" Jongdae wondered aloud. "We know you will get them to agree to anything, our queen."

The queen quirked her lips at the praise and raised a hand. "Maybe so, but hold off just a bit longer." But despite her words, the women continued to cheer their success. Even Yifan couldn't suppress a triumphant grin. Then she turned and saw that the queen was removing her armor.

"What are you doing?"

The queen glanced up. "No armor or weapons for peace talks. It's tradition. Now remove yours as well, you will be my companion."

Yifan headed for her horse and slowly began to remove her own armor, a sour taste in her mouth. Once she was clad in just a tunic, she headed back to where the queen stood. She turned, gave Yifan one look and pointed at her waist.

"What is that?"

Yifan grumbled and removed her concealed sword. She felt almost naked as they strode forward, away from their celebrating troops, stopping quickly by Tao to see how the injured were faring, and then into the clearing. Yifan's skin prickled as they headed for the newly constructed tent in the center, and stepped inside.

True to what the queen had said, all inside were without armor or any weapons, and the king welcomed them graciously, though the prince sent them poorly hidden looks of disdain.

Yifan stood back as her queen negotiated the terms of the treaty, loudly disagreeing with many of the king's points. Yifan smiled as the woman worked to convince the men gathered of the merit of each of her points, but then her smile fell.

One of the men in the corner stood completely still, though his face was contorted with rage. In his hands, visible through a small break in the king's advisors, was a dagger.

As the queen went down her list of points, the man grew steadily closer. No one else seemed to notice. To call any attention to it would be unwise, the talks were going well and the man could easily hide the weapon. Yifan stepped forward.

"Are you satisfied by the terms?" The king asked, expression drawn in annoyance.

"No," the queen replied, tone nonchalant. "But these are adequate for now."

And then the man leaned forward. Yifan was there in a heartbeat, pushing her queen aside as the man thrust his hand forward. She heard her queen's alarmed cry before she felt the pain, and then the king’s men were holding the man back. Yifan grasped for the hilt protruding from her abdomen, finding it unmovable. She'd do more harm than good by removing it.

When she stumbled, arms caught her under her arms and she looked up into the face of her queen. The woman was practically glowing, and Yifan smiled. "Your Highness," she began, but the rest of the words stuck in her throat.

The woman hushed her, eyes wide and a little teary–or were they? Everything was blurry.

"Yifan, stand up right now. We will get you to Tao and then return to finalize the treaty." She said something more, but it was reduced to an incomprehensible mumble. "Yifan! Yifan!"

Her queen was calling for her, but she couldn't respond. Not right now. She closed her eyes.

The shouting continued, though it grew quieter. "Yifan!" Over and over again, and then very quietly, she almost wondered if it was said at all, "Kris."

彡 ☆彡

_There was someone who wanted help, and Kris had been called to fight them._

_It was the tradition–if the person truly deserved the help of her people, they must defeat the clan's best warrior. And that was Kris._

_She strode forward, onto the field, and looked at the council through the slit in her armor. They gave her approving nods, and she turned to face her opponent._

_She strode forward, and Kris very nearly dropped her weapon. It was a small woman, whose armor looked like it was made more for appearance than practicality, and she held her sword in shaking hands. Well, at least this would be an easy fight._

_They took their positions, and the horn sounded. Kris dashed forward, catching her opponent by surprise as she aimed straight for her head. The woman turned to the side and the sword glanced off her neck-guard instead. The woman fell to the ground but appeared unharmed. So the armor was functional after all._

_They traded blows until Kris tired of the simple fight and drove her opponent into a corner, preparing for a finishing blow. At the last moment, the woman dropped to the ground and rolled away. Kris was so surprised that the woman was even able to right herself and aim a thrust at a weak spot near her waist._

_The fight continued, Kris growing more desperate to end the fight, and the woman growing more creative in her maneuvers to evade the warrior's attacks. But she was growing tired, and it was only a matter of time before Kris caught her off-guard._

_It happened while the woman was on the ground, rolling away from an attack. Kris trapped her with her body, wrenching the sword out of her grasp and trapping her arms to her sides with her thighs. She raised her sword to deal the killing blow, as was expected of her, but stopped cold._

_The woman was staring at her with steely brown eyes, almost daring her to deal the final blow._

_Kris found herself leaning closer. "Why did you come?" They never gave her the reasons, only told her that she was needed for a fight. Reasons weren't necessary._

_The woman had an unhappy set to her jaw, but spoke. "I am Queen Lu Han. My people are in danger, and I will die before I fail them." She met Kris' eyes. "I will not die by your hands, nor any others'."_

_Kris stayed still, then dropped her weapon. In one movement, she rolled onto her back, the queen kneeling above her, looking perplexed. She could hear gasps from the spectators, and looked up. "I have been bested," she said, for all to hear, "as is the agreement, I will leave with the victor to serve them in their needs."_

_The council looked displeased, but called the fight and allowed Kris to return to her home to pack her things. She did so, making quick work of it. She still wore her armor, her broadsword sheathed on her waist, so she only packed a few provisions and an extra tunic. When she opened the door, the queen was standing there. She raised a brow._

_"Come, we should go," the woman said, turning on her heel. Kris frowned. She had been expecting words of thanks, not this. Nevertheless, she followed the woman. "I was thinking. Your name is Kris, right?"_

_"Yes."_

_"It's too foreign," the queen complained, wrinkling her nose. "How would you feel about a new name?"_

_Kris frowned. She had been granted her name when she bested the strongest warrior in her clan. It was a name she wore with pride. But, she supposed, she was no longer with her clan. "What do you suggest?"_

_The small queen turned, smiling at her. "How do you feel about Yifan?"_

彡 ☆彡

"Yifan."

She opened her eyes, which felt like an amazing feat, then groaned.

"She's waking up."

When her vision cleared, the first face she saw was Tao's, but it was quickly replaced with the queen's. "Oh, Yifan." Her eyes grew watery, and Yifan longer to reach up and assure her that she was fine, but her limbs felt impossibly heavy. She heard Tao mumble some words, and then she was gone. The queen came closer. "Yifan, how are you?"

She thought about it. Looking around, she noticed that they were no longer inside a tent, but she was on a large bed. She managed to move her head enough to see the maps on the walls and smiled. "Why are we in your room?" She asked, voice gravely.

"I couldn't in good conscience let your bleed all over your own sheets." She sat on the bed, hand settling lightly over Yifan's beneath the blankets. "They peace negotiations went well, they conceded to a lot more after the attack, so we have quite a few new trade partners, as well as plenty more land." She smiled, and her eyes grew watery all over again. "Yifan, I was so worried. You've been out for four days."

Yifan smiled. "Lu Han," she started, eyes crinkling when the woman gave her a blinding smile in return. "I'm fine."

"No you're not," the woman disagreed, stretching out on the bed beside her. "But I'll allow you to lie this once." She crawled beneath the blankets, pressing her warm body against Yifan's. "I was so worried," she repeated, then pressed her lips against Yifan's bare shoulder.

She went on, kissing across Yifan's collarbone and in between her breasts–Yifan realized she was naked, but couldn't fathom the energy to feel surprised. The kisses continued downward, until they stopped and settled lightly over a tender and bandaged area. Lu Han then came back up, pressing a kiss to Yifan's forehead and both cheeks before pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. Then she settled, pillowing her head on Yifan's shoulder.

"I've been thinking, while you were out," Lu Han began, "and I realize that I will have to marry again. I need heirs." She chuckled when she caught Yifan's slight look of disdain. "But that doesn't mean I'd need my husband anywhere near me. Also, you should move into this room. I obviously require more protection."

Yifan scoffed, but settled as delicate fingers traced her side, eventually ending over the bandaged would. Lu Han's voice was thick when she spoke again. "You're never allowed to leave my sight again."

Yifan closed her eyes and smiled, laying a hand over Lu Han's. She didn't think that would be a problem.


End file.
